International Peaceand Security

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Eliciting and Applying Local Research Knowledge for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (Africa)

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A Joint Research Initiative of Carnegie Corporation of New York and the International Development Research Centre.

Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) today announce a jointly-funded research initiative Eliciting and Applying Local Research Knowledge for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding. The research initiative seeks to increase the level of recognition and utilization of local peacebuilding and statebuilding expertise and capacity in post-conflict contexts where challenges are most acute, with a specific emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa.

This joint venture will focus on answering questions that generate new or heretofore undervalued insights about how sustainable and inclusive peace and statebuilding processes can best be attained. It will also seek to bring these insights to the attention of relevant scholarly, policy and practitioner communities.

For more information on the jointly-funded research initiative, please consult the Concept Note.

The jointly-funded research initiative offers two separate tracks of support for eligible scholars, each in accordance with the legal and operational guidelines of CCNY, a U.S.-based private grantmaking foundation, and the IDRC, a Canadian Crown corporation, supporting research in developing countries.

Applications

Carnegie Corporation of New YorkRestrictions: Open primarily to U.S.-based public agencies, universities and public charities that are tax-exempt under section 501 (c) (3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code or their equivalent.Deadline: Initial Letters of Inquiry accepted from March 20, 2012 to May 15, 2012. For application click here.

International Development Research CentreRestrictions: Open to institutions located in Africa. Please refer to the accompanying Concept Note on program restrictions. Deadline: Research grant proposals accepted from June 1, 2012 to August 31, 2012. For application click here. Contact: gsj(at)idrc.ca

--Frequently Asked Questions--

Why are the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the International Development Research Centre collaborating on this jointly-funded research initiative?
Both organizations are committed to promoting local scholarly expertise to inform policies and debates on peacebuilding and statebuilding. There is a low level of recognition and use of this expertise in Africa, where peacebuilding and post-conflict challenges are most acute.

The goal for both organizations is to provide a more comprehensive account of peacebuilding and statebuilding successes from African perspectives.

Why are the deadlines for the competitive calls issued by CCNY and IDRC different?
CCNY is issuing a call for proposals to complement the recently launched African Peacebuilding Network (APN) based at the Social Science Research Council (http://www.ssrc.org/programs/apn/). CCNY will fund proposals that respond to a broader set of questions related to eliciting and applying local knowledge on peacebuilding and statebuilding. Selected applications will be considered for funding by CCNY’s Board of Trustees at its September 2012 meeting.

The IDRC will fund proposals that complement those funded by CCNY but will focus on a much more narrow sub-set of peacebuilding and statebuilding, namely on assessing how political settlements can foster public confidence of peacebuilding and statebuilding processes. Proposals funded by IDRC are accepted and assessed on an ongoing basis, between June 1st and August 31st and will be funded by March 31, 2013.

What are the key research questions relevant for both organizations?
Please refer to the accompanying concept note to understand the research initiative and respective research questions.

How long are the grants? What are the funds for each grant?
Successful applicants will be awarded two-year research grants. It is up to the proposing institution to determine the amount of funds they require to complete the research and to present research objectives and methodologies that are feasible within this timeframe.

CCNY anticipates its initial grants in the $250,000 to $350,000 range. IDRC anticipates issuing grants for up to a maximum of $400,000.

Who is eligible to apply?
Please see above for the institutional restrictions.

My organization works on issues in Africa, but it is located outside of Africa. Am I eligible to apply?
CCNY charter restrictions limit the geographic scope of eligible grantees. With some exceptions for institutions based in the United Kingdom, only U.S.-based institutions can apply for this round of grants. For IDRC, the institution must be based in Africa.

How do I submit my application?
Please see above in the “applications” section.

Do I submit applications to both Carnegie Corporation of New York AND the International Development Research Centre?
No. U.S.–based institutions and others as described above can submit to CCNY. Only African –based institutions can submit to the IDRC.

What happens if I submit to one organization and they send a rejection letter? Can I submit to the other organization?
Your proposal will only be considered for one organization.

How will my proposal be assessed?
Each proposal will be assessed independently. Both organizations will communicate to ensure a degree of thematic complementarity between all projects that are funded. Proposals will be assessed on the relevance and feasibility against the research questions outlined in the concept note and other criteria specific to each funder.

How will I be notified of the status of my application?
You will receive an initial email confirming that your application was received, and a follow up email regarding the result of your application.

If I am selected, what happens next?
You will receive a notification from the organization to which you applied. Approved grants will be issued between November 2012 and February 2013, for a 2-year research cycle.